Frequently Asked Questions
Where are you located and what days do you work?
Lightkeeper Tattoo is a private, by appointment only tattoo studio located in Plainville Connecticut. I tattoo Tuesday to Friday 10 am to 6 pm.
How far out are you booked out?
On Average I stay 9 to 12 months booked out for tattoo appointments.
what type of payment do you take and do you have gift certificates?
I accept cash, Visa and Mastercard. I do not offer gift certificates.
How can I get tattooed by you?
You can either contact me here or email me at sickofjim@gmail.com to reach out to me. Please include all important things in the email, such as what you are looking to get, approximate size (inches), color vs black and grey, style you’re looking for or any other information that maybe helpful.
Since I have a lengthy wait, I have to be more selective with projects I take on as I won’t be able to fit in every request unfortunately. Large scale Japanese, neo-traditional, black & grey realism or pieces with artistic freedom will take precedent.
Do you tattoo minors?
No, 18 and older with a state issued ID or passport will get you tattooed.
How do you do your pricing?
I charge $200 an hour with a $150 minimum. For larger, multiple session pieces I don’t watch the clock as closely and give price breaks.
Can I see my drawings ahead of time?
For large scale, multiple session pieces yes. Smaller single session drawings will be seen the day of the appointment.
I can’t send out drawings via email, they can only be seen in person at the studio. There is usually a lot of design elements that can really only be explained in person and typically will get lost in translation through email so its best for both you and I to have it be in person. That will typically be a day or two before your appointment.
Do you take a booking fee for a tattoo appointment?
Yes. The booking fee will lock you as well as me in for the appointment and will save your spot in my schedule. The amount will depend on the complexity of the design and amount of time being booked. To check out the full rules for the booking fee you can check them out here.
I lost my aftercare instructions, how do I heal my tattoo?
You can see the instructions here.
can I use numbing creme?
No. In my years of experience I do not recommend using a numbing creme that is applied before the tattoo is done because it causes too many changes to the skin and it will negatively affect how the skin receives the tattoo. If you show up to the appointment with a pre-tattoo numbing creme applied, the appointment will be rescheduled and could result in another lengthy wait to get in.
If you are not allergic to lidocaine, I am comfortable using Bactine spray for shading.
Can I use healing products like saniderm, tegaderm, tatuderm, etc?
I do not recommend using these type of products on healing tattoos. There has been a lot of light being shed within the tattoo industry recently of clients experiencing allergic reactions, scarring, blistering, ink migrating and permanent discoloration of non-tattooed skin at the edges of these products. I’ve personally have had clients experience some of these issues and it is not worth risking the integrity of the tattoo and your health.
Is there anything or anywhere you won’t tattoo?
Yes. Any sort of imagery associated with hate groups, radical militias, racist, sexist, homophobic or any other imagery that you wouldn’t want to see on your grandmother. As for locations on the body I do not tattoo sides of fingers, ears, inner lips and bottoms of feet are off the table. Highly visible areas such as hands, neck, head are decided on a case by case situation.
I’m pregnant or nursing, can I still get tattooed?
No. A tattoo, although very safe for adults, could potentially be catastrophic to a a developing fetus or nursing infant. It be best to hold off getting tattooed until your baby is born, and if you are nursing best to wait until the baby is weened off.